- commentary by Pete van Nuys
 Santiago extension runs west under the I-5 from this junction south of Main Place in Orange. |
 Scary underpass is paved and lighting is already installed for future connection. |
Neighbors who’ve enjoyed a private creek setting behind their back yards are understandably opposed to this public trail extension. They claim the creek is
“natural.” They’re confusing natural with feral.
 Well worn “social trail” has existed for decades along the creek. private property lines extend toward the creek bed center. |
 No laughing matter: “yucca” and other landscape material from the 50s and 60s pervade the stream course. |
I walked the section from the I-5 underpass to Fisher Park about 7AM one morning.
I’m no botanist but have enough Scout left in me to know a few native plants when I see ‘em and I saw very few: sycamores, a couple different willows, Indian tobacco, elderberry, that’s all I could ID.
 Grian Reed (Arundo donax) is so purvasive many people think it’s native. It’s an invasive exotic that crowds out California raparian species. |
 Without maintenance trash accumulates with every heavy rain and grafitti remains unchecked. |
But I saw plenty of invasive species typical of Southern California stream courses where exotics outnumber the native plants. And landscaping material that “escaped” the backyards years ago.
 Invasive ivy cascades from a cantilevered deck. |
 The trail leads directly into Fisher Park. |
I also saw public stairways leading down from Fisher Park, now fenced off, which tells me the creek bed was at one time considered public. Now the well worn social trail suggests a great case for proscriptive easement.
 Two stairways from decades past make their way down to the stream course. Here’s the eastern one.
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 Here’s the western stairway where Santa Ana citizens left Fisher Park to stroll the stream bed in the 30s and 40s. |
The trail should be developed as a MultiUse Path, not just to the park but beyond to the Santa Ana River Trail. The creek is narrow west of Flower, but widens again west of Bristol to the SART. A well engineered trail could survive even down in the watercourse, flooding during storms but dry and ridable most of the year.
-edited by Sprocket
-update: According to the Santa Ana Circulation Element (pdf) portion of its General Plan under Bikeway Master Plan :
“An existing Class I bikeway runs along the banks of the Santa Ana River, the Southern Pacific railroad tracks to the south, the Santa Ana Gardens Channel, Flower Street, and along Maple Street. Proposed Class I bikeways are planned along Santiago Creek. A linkage to connect the Maple Street trail to the Alton Street trails is also planned.”
Please note it says planned, not tomorrow!
Appears that residents in Santa Ana aren’t alone in opposing a bike path through the neighborhood.
According to the article at courthouse news, Angeleno Homeowners Fight Bicycle Path – now entering its 3rd year!
http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/05/22/46700.htm
Good Luck!
The “inclusive needs” of the many to connect our communities via this public creek, outweigh the “exclusive desires” of a few to keep us apart or force us to take long detours on surface streets via cars or bikes. Having a multiuse path will allow most bicyclists and walkers to travel between these neighborhoods.
Check out http://neighbors4trail.org which has over 600 supporters for completing the missing 0.25 mile link on this creek trail. The other 8+ miles is already connected in Santa Ana, Orange, and Villa Park. The creation and completion of this trail was proposed by the county over 40 years ago. We need to travel more by bike and foot and less by cars. Is what other cities are doing in South and North OC largely in thanks to County, State, and Federal funding such as Measure M funds from OCTA that all of OC pays for. Santa Ana residents are getting very little in return.
Hi and welcome to the OC!
Join your voice with others at the Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance
to eliminate the last 2 gaps on what will be a vital cycling link in the OC.
There is an ongoing petition on their site. Let your voice be heard!
Thanks for your concern and support.
I am a bicycling advocate and father of four and have recently moved to the area from Los Angeles County. During our last ride I was surprised to find ourselves limited from accessing a well paved bike trail east of the 5 freeway due to the unwelcoming dirt path between there and Fisher Park. My children’s abilities and bikes are not sufficient to ensure their safety on this trail. Additionally, the overgrowth causes concern for safety, due to unseen hazards or persons in the path of travel. Unfortunately, taking them on busy streets and sidewalks are the alternative. I find it hard to believe that my fellow citizens could not agree on a compromise to enable cyclists, especially biking families, equal access and opportunity to enjoy all that our community has to offer.
Thanks OCBC for all you do. Some of us are in the process of encouraging the City of Santa Ana and the OCTA to extend the Class 1 Bike Trail in Santiago Creek from Main Place Mall to the Santa Ana River Trail. The City of Orange and the County is currently constructing a Class 1 Trail in the Creek from Tustin Ave to Santiago Oaks Regional Park which will be completed in Winter 2010-2011.
However, the City of Santa Ana plans to not have the trail go through the creek in the exclusive West Floral Park neighborhood in Santa Ana. Instead according to the OCTA Strategic Master Bikeways Plan it will be diverted onto busy streets around Main Place Mall and over the Streets running over the freeway interchange which is much longer, indirect and unsafe to connect with the Santa Ana River Trail.
We are forming an Alliance to complete this trail (make a good trail “great”). Can you provide assistance/guidance?
Mark